Posts Tagged ‘Rihanna’

It’s going to take at least a second listen before the campfire sounding track -featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney- off of Rihanna’s new album really sinks in that this is indeed them.

Probably one of the more radical tracks released from the pop queen, FourFiveSeconds is a stripped down, vocally centered track that sounds like it would be played a t a local church outing rather than in a stadium full of screaming fans.

LISTEn to “FourFiveSix” below:

There’s echoes of organs in the background and McCartney’s guitar playing calls to an earlier generation of lawn chilling hippies that juxtaposed Rihanna’s other leaked single, World Peace, promises the most eclectic album from the singer in years.

While FourFiveSeconds may be one of Rihanna’s slowest, most sway inducing tracks, it is also, ironically, one of her biggest party songs from a lyrical perspective.

The entire song is about leaving the anxieties and tribulations of the weekly grind behind when Friday finally arrives. It’s about living out those three weekend days as if they were Earth’s last, creating reckless memories and not apologizing for wanting to have fun.

“And I know that you’re out tonight/thinking how could I be so selfish/but you cop out a thousand times/wondering where I’ve been,” she sings during one of the rawer moments of the song. “Now I know that you’re out tonight/thinking how could I be so reckless/but I just can’t apologize/I hope you can understand.”

It’s one of the more powerful moments during the song, which is saying quite a bit since the entire track is stripped down and nude. It’s one of Rihanna’s more courageous moments in the studio, letting the upbeat and fast paced tempo of EDM backing slip away into the background and letting her untouched vocals shine through.

All of which is made that much better by an unusually quiet Kanye West. The rapper’s usual bravado is kept at bay and instead he’s willing to show off his vocal range and sentimental side.

This coming, of course, just three weeks after he dropped his first single of the year that also featured Paul McCartney, Only One.

LISTEN to Kanye West’s “Only One” below:

It may not be a chart topping hit or even one of the singer’s most memorable tracks when looking back at her discography, but it is a bold statement about her new found level of maturity that I’m personally looking forward to seeing explored further on this album and in the future.

It’s not exactly a monster tour as far as dates are concerned, but Eminem and Rihanna have announced the details of their three-city jaunt across the U.S.

The co-headlining Monster Tour will make stops at Los Angeles’ Rose Bowl on August 7, E. Rutherford, N.J.’s MetLife Stadium on August 16, and Detroit’s Comerica Park on August 22. No other further dates, including any Canadian cities, have been scheduled. Tickets for all the shows go on sale Friday, March 28 at 10 a.m. local time through the Live Nation mobile app and Live Nation’s website.

There is also a Facebook presale that fans can take advantage of through an RSVP, which starts on Saturday, March 22 at 10 a.m.

Eminem recently wrapped up a Australian and South African tour, while Rihanna has been seen hanging out with Toronto rapper Drake at some of his European shows.

One of the great things about YouTube is, it offers up historical footage that you would normally never, ever see.

This also includes video from back in the day of some heavyweight musical acts playing in front of, well, hardly anyone.

Hey, you gotta start somewhere.

It’s also clearly evident as to why they got to the heights they did after seeing and hearing some of these clips from years ago.

Here are 10 rare videos floating out there on the video-sharing site. There’s such an abundance of unique stuff that we’ll add some more in the weeks and months to come. (Please, feel free to add your own favourite rarities in the comments section at the bottom of this page):

Madonna, 1982

Here’s an early look at the talents of Madonna as she struts her stuff at her first-ever live performance at old New York club Danceteria in 1982, playing Everybody. She had confidence, even back then:

Rihanna, 2003

We get an early glimpse of Rihanna’s vocal chops as she belts out a version of Hero at 15 years old:

Nirvana, 1988

Prior to Nirvana were selling out arenas in the ’90s behind their hugely popular albums Nevermind and In Utero, they played a Radio Shack in Aberdeen, Wa., in 1988 in front of a few staff members. They performed Paper Cuts:

Eminem, 1991

Before Marshall Mathers became Eminem/Slim Shady, he was playing in high school talent shows. Here’s a clip from a show in 1991 (he’s in the black shirt):

Guns N’ Roses, 1986

Before Guns N’ Roses signed to Geffen Records and a year prior to their breakthrough debut album Appetite For Destruction being released in 1987, the fivesome were staples on the Hollywood club scene. Here’s their full set from the Roxy in Los Angeles on January 18, 1986:

U2, 1977

Here’s U2′s first ever appearance on Irish TV in March of 1978 performing Street Mission. Bono was 18 years old at the time, and when they filmed the spot on the show Youngline, they were actually called The Hype:

The Smiths, 1983

The Smiths hadn’t released their debut album yet, nor any singles. Here’s the iconic band playing their third gig ever, and supporting a funk band called 52nd Street at the Hacienda club in Manchester on February 4, 1983.

Destiny’s Child, 1992

Here we see a young Destiny’s Child practicing their song-and-dance moves in a backyard in 1992. Beyonce was 11 years old at the time:

LL Cool J, 1985

Young rapper LL Cool J (with DJ “Cut Creator”) is seen playing to a half-empty gym of mostly mullet-wearing, disinterested white kids at Colby College in Maine in 1985. He was 17 at the time:

The Who, 1964

The Who, then known as the High Numbers, play a hotel bar in London in 1964, prior to the release of their breakthough song, My Generation (which would be released the following year).

The lineup continues to expand in rapid numbers for next month’s Grammy Awards.

Grammy nominees The Lumineers, Carrie Underwood and Jack White are all scheduled to take the stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 10.

Song of the Year nom Ed Sheeran is also tapped to duet with six-time Grammy winner Elton John, and country stars Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert will also pair up for the 55th annual event.

Other performers already announced include The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, fun., Rihanna and Taylor Swift.

White, who has nine Grammys on his bookshelf already, is nominated in three different categories: Album of the Year, Best Rock Album (“Blunderbuss”) and Best Rock Song (“Freedom at 21″ – watch below).

The show airs Feb. 10 from 8-11:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Yours truly as well as fellow scribe Mark Daniell will be giving instant reviews of each and every act on Grammy night. Follow us on Twitter: @johnwillms and @markhdaniell.

Our Contributors

National music writer Darryl Sterdan is old enough to know better. He lives mostly in his head but also on his couch in Winnipeg, where he listens to music, thinks about music, writes about music and obsesses over music 24/7/365. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But he really will have to get that couch cleaned one of these days.

Jane has been a Sun reporter since 1995. Before coming to the Sun, was music, film, TV, theatre, news reporter/editor at Canadian Press Toronto from 1991-95; News/entertainment radio/print reporter at Broadcast News/Canadian Press Vancouver from 1989-91; TV reporter and entertainment anchor for CKVU in Vancouver, 1988; News reporter/news reader/at CJOR Radio in Vancouver, 1984-88. Briefly went to film school in London, England, in 1984.